What is Human Cloning?
Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human. The ethics of human cloning are highly controversial. The term is often used to refer to the artificial process of human cloning. Human clones in the form of twins, happen naturally,when the cloning occurs during the natural process of reproduction. There are two common types of cloning, therapeutic and reproductive.
In therapeutic cloning the cells of an adult are used in medicine and transplants. This is a very active area of research and thousands of scientists are studying how therapeutic cloning can help humans.
In reproductive cloning human clones are made for humans who are unable to have a child. This process is questioned by many scientists and is thought to be ethically wrong.
The third type of cloning is very uncommon. It is called replacement cloning, and is thought to be theoretically possible. A combination of therapeutic and reproductive cloning could be used to replace a failing body. This would then be followed by a brain transplant.
The advances made in cloning every year are amazing. Scientists have been studying cloning for a long time. They have even managed to clone pets. Cloning can be useful to humans. Many scientist have had to stop researching cloning because governments have stopped funding research that involves the cloning of animals, including humans.
In therapeutic cloning the cells of an adult are used in medicine and transplants. This is a very active area of research and thousands of scientists are studying how therapeutic cloning can help humans.
In reproductive cloning human clones are made for humans who are unable to have a child. This process is questioned by many scientists and is thought to be ethically wrong.
The third type of cloning is very uncommon. It is called replacement cloning, and is thought to be theoretically possible. A combination of therapeutic and reproductive cloning could be used to replace a failing body. This would then be followed by a brain transplant.
The advances made in cloning every year are amazing. Scientists have been studying cloning for a long time. They have even managed to clone pets. Cloning can be useful to humans. Many scientist have had to stop researching cloning because governments have stopped funding research that involves the cloning of animals, including humans.
More on therapeutic cloning
All the information to create another human is contained in each cell of a human. DNA can be taken from any cell. A common way to get a person's DNA is by scraping the inside of their cheek. No matter how the cell is obtained it contains the DNA of that person and all the information to create a duplicate of that human or a clone. A woman's ovum also contains DNA and is what is used in therapeutic cloning. Here is the process of therapeutic cloning:
Theoretically these stem cells can be used to create replacement organs. There are many hurdles scientists have to overcome before therapeutic cloning can be successfully used. Some of these hurdles are,
- Take a woman's ovum, and remove its DNA. This converts it from a form of human life into what is basically a factory for creating a pre-embryo.
- Remove the DNA from a cell taken from a human, and inserting it into the ovum.
- Give the resulting ovum an electrical shock to start up its embryo making operation. In a small percentage of cases, a pre-embryo will be formed.
- The pre-embryo is allowed to develop and produce many stem cells. So far, the procedure is identical to that used in adult DNA cloning. However, the pre-embryo is not implanted in a woman's womb in order to try to produce a pregnancy.
- Stem cells are removed from the pre-embryo; this results in its death.
- The stem cells would be encouraged to grow into whatever tissue or organ is needed to treat the patient. Stem cells are a unique form of human cell that can theoretically develop into many organs or body parts the body.
- The tissue or organ would be transplanted into the patient.
Theoretically these stem cells can be used to create replacement organs. There are many hurdles scientists have to overcome before therapeutic cloning can be successfully used. Some of these hurdles are,
- Stem cells have to be "successfully isolated and grown in the laboratory." This has already been accomplished, but is very hard to do right.
- They have to be encouraged to "turn into specific cell types." This has been done for most of the 220 cell types in the human body. Research in this area still needs to be improved.
- They have to be proven usable in treating patients with diseases, injuries, or disorders.
- The transplanted tissue must develop normally and must not represent significant "risks to the patient."
- Many countries have banned any research that has to do with therapeutic cloning.
More on reproductive cloning
Reproductive cloning is the creation of an exact duplicate of an organism. In humans a clone would be genetic copy of another being. Somatic cell nuclear transfer, or SCNT, is the most common cloning technique. SCNT involves putting the nucleus for a body cell into the egg that has its nucleus removed. This produces a clonol embryo. To tell the cell to begin growing scientists induce electricity or chemicals into the cell. Then scientist put the egg into a female's uterus. When the female gives birth the newborn will be an exact replica of the person who gave the body cells. Not the female who gave birth to the organism.
More than 18 organisms have been cloned using SCNT. Many people claim to have cloned a human, but none of these cases have been proven. New techniques, such as the derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells via cellular reprogramming, suggest other potential methods of reproductive cloning.
More than 18 organisms have been cloned using SCNT. Many people claim to have cloned a human, but none of these cases have been proven. New techniques, such as the derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells via cellular reprogramming, suggest other potential methods of reproductive cloning.
More on Replacement cloning
Replacement cloning is only theoretical and is not research based. Replacement cloning involves using therapeutic and reproductive cloning to replace a body that has been severely damaged or has failed, or is in the process of failing, followed by transplanting the brain into the new body. This is projected to increase the human lifespan greatly. Some scientist suggest starting off by only putting a bit of the brain into the new body. This theory could work but in reality there is no way to test it. Some scientists speculate that replacement cloning would never work because the brain would be unable to create any nerve connections. Replacement cloning would only be useful to those in wheel chairs or who are handicapped in other ways, not people who are aging. This is because the brain still ages and a 90 year old brain in an 18 year olds body would still deteriorate. Much more research still needs to be done on replacement cloning.